Michigan snowmobile permit, registration and rules

Michigan snowmobile rules, answered

Do I need a trail permit to snowmobile in Michigan?

Yes, if you ride on public land. Michigan requires a snowmobile trail permit to operate on public land, and it applies to residents and visitors alike. The permit is valid Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, and the sticker goes permanently affixed to the forward half of the snowmobile, directly above or below the headlight. The DNR exempts a snowmobile operated exclusively on land its owner owns or controls, one used entirely in a certified safety-education program, and one used in a special event under a permit from the governing unit. A snowmobile used solely to cross frozen public water for ice fishing is exempt from the permit but not from registration. During the annual Free Snowmobiling Weekend the permit is waived on DNR trails only. Source: Michigan DNR.

How much is a Michigan snowmobile trail permit and where do I buy it?

The Michigan snowmobile trail permit costs $65, up from $52, after a required five-year inflation (CPI) adjustment under Public Act 400 of 2008. The DNR says the new fee stays in place for the next five-year period. Permits go on sale Sept. 1 each year and are valid Oct. 1 through Sept. 30. You can buy one online through the DNR eLicense site, online through the Michigan Snowmobile & ORV Association, or in person at DNR license agents and dealers. The sticker is mailed within 10 to 15 business days when you buy through eLicense. so buy before your trip rather than the week of it. Sources: DNR fee announcement and DNR permits page.

Do I have to register my snowmobile in Michigan?

Michigan residents must register a snowmobile with the Michigan Secretary of State unless it is used solely on private property. Registration lasts 3 years, you put the two registration decals on each side of the forward half of the cowl, above the footwell, and a sale means transferring the registration through the Secretary of State. Registration is separate from the $65 trail permit, so a rider on public land needs both. The DNR page I read does not state the registration fee, so check the Secretary of State for the current amount. A snowmobile used only on land its owner owns or controls is exempt from both. Sources: Michigan DNR and Michigan Secretary of State.

Do out-of-state snowmobilers need a Michigan permit or registration?

Out-of-state riders need the Michigan trail permit to ride on public land, and their snowmobile must display a valid registration from the operator's home state or province, or be registered in Michigan. The $65 permit is the same permit residents buy, and the DNR lists no separate nonresident fee. The permit is valid Oct. 1 through Sept. 30 and can be bought online through eLicense or MISORVA before you cross the bridge. The only break is Free Snowmobiling Weekend, when both the permit and the registration requirements are waived on DNR trails only, for visitors as well as residents. Source: Michigan DNR.

How old do you have to be to drive a snowmobile in Michigan?

The DNR's rules depend on the rider's age. A child under 12 may operate a snowmobile only under direct adult supervision, meaning an adult 18 or older in constant visual contact with the unaided eye, and may not cross a street or highway. Riders 12 to 16 must pass a Michigan-approved snowmobile safety course and carry the certificate to ride without that supervision or to cross a street or highway. The DNR recommends a safety course for every operator. The online course charges its fee only when you pass. Sources: DNR age rules and DNR safety certificate page.

What is Michigan's Free Snowmobiling Weekend?

Free Snowmobiling Weekend is a two-day event each winter when the DNR waives the snowmobile trail permit and the registration requirement on DNR-managed snowmobile trails only, for residents and out-of-state visitors. Everything else still applies: all other snowmobile rules and regulations, the age and safety-certificate rules, and a Recreation Passport where applicable. The DNR announces the dates each year, so look for them on the DNR page before you plan a trip around it. Outside those two days, and off DNR trails, the $65 permit and registration apply as usual. Source: Michigan DNR.

Do you have to wear a helmet on a snowmobile in Michigan?

Yes. The DNR Snowmobile Handbook says everyone operating or riding on a snowmobile must wear a Department of Transportation-approved crash helmet, with an exception for people operating on their own private property. That covers passengers as well as the driver. The Handbook also requires a lighted headlight and taillight at all times during operation, and prohibits operating while under the influence of drugs or alcohol or at a speed greater than is reasonable for existing conditions. Mufflers are regulated too: sleds made after July 1, 1980 and sold in Michigan must not exceed 88 decibels. The Handbook covers more equipment rules than this page does. Source: DNR Snowmobile Handbook.

When do Michigan snowmobile trails open?

State-designated snowmobile trails are open Dec. 1 to Mar. 31, and trail grooming occurs when there is enough snow on the ground, so opening day on the calendar is not the same as rideable trails. The trail permit is valid from Oct. 1, two months before the trails open. Whether a given region is actually worth the drive depends on current snow, grooming and closures, which is what the Michigan snowmobile trail conditions planner checks region by region. Source: Michigan DNR.